Karaoke Forums

When going into a rednecks house the first beer is handed to you. After that if you want a beer you know where the cooler is get ur own. Each have their rules which guests should respect and uphold. This is life.

All these discussions are about what the host should be doing or what rules they should have. There are knock down drag out fights here with no regard for a venue or the hosts format. There is even a selfish attitude towards the bars regulars if they are not singers. To hell with them I want to sing!!!

I would like a thread with suggestions for singers going to another bar and what their attitude or responsibilties are. If this thread turns into a play cd or no, fill or no fill, or rotation etc I will ask a Mod to delete it

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We lay low at first. The boyfriend has a tradition of never bringing his own discs the first time because he doesn't want to seem pretentious. I bring mine just in case. I have only been to one computer show and I chose something familiar but wasn't able to cope so I became audience and let the boyfriend do the singing. Not meaning to start THAT argument, just telling you that in that situation that's what I do.

If I mess up a song, I laugh. I may tell the boyfriend that I think the host didn't change the key as requested but I don't audibly blame the host. I just say, "Is it down it 2?" next time I'm up. The boyfriend will politely ask that the music be turned up if he can't hear.

If it seems to be a country or oldies crowd, I will try to choose songs to start that I think will please that audience. Then if we are well-received or people seem friendly I will pull out my more bizarre ones--I have passed off Amy Winehouse as country because she does drinkin'/cheatin' songs.

If people come up and say I did a good job, I try to remember to say "Thank you," instead of, "Are you crazy?" Then I tell them I liked their song also or try to make conversation if it seems welcomed.

We are never the first to bring up that we have our own show.

If a lone female is on the dance floor and I have had at least one drink, I will join her. If a singer is doing an irresistable song like "Smooth" and everyone is just sitting there and I have had at least two drinks then I will start the dancing on my own.

If the sound is funky, the mics are sub-par but people are friendly and supportive then we will return. The only thing we have ever walked out on is not being served once while the regs were on their second round or just being made to feel unwelcome--not being greeted or paid attention to by the wait staff--people just staring at us and not smiling when we walk in and are trying to find a place to sit, etc.

I have a thing about never leaving while someone is singing. I always wait until the song is over.

The boyfriend usually tells the host and anyone else who has talked to us "good night" when we leave.

We buy drinks. We can't get drunk so we offer to pay for our cokes after we've had our limit (more than 3 drinks in my case and they would have to hose down the parking lot) or buy chips or something.

We leave a good tip for the waitress in hopes of being treated well if we return.

I think once you walk into a NEW Karaoke show, you get yourself a seat , a book, a slip and a pencil. Look for your favorite song and manufacture and put up a song.
THEN SIT BACK AND OBSERVE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT in regards to ROTATION etc

No smiles, no belly up to the bar and buying drinks. No attempt to socialize or make friends. You sit there with glazed looks in your eyes expecting rigid rituals and show indignance or shock when the ritual is shifted to other matters. You feverishly scan the books looking for that ultimate performance. The only time you are living is when it is your turn and you have a mic in your hand and people are listening. At all other times you are nothing.

So far only one person understood the object of this thread and gave an honest account of her ventures into new venues. It was a healthy reaction and she wouldnt be a stranger in my show very long. For she is people and not some addict and we could discuss other things and go about a normal life.

I notice by the lack of response to this thread that singers have no obligations or rules. The burden is totally up to the host to supply all the rituals and must invest thousands of dollars to meet these needs whether there is no profit or not for the host or venue. And you wonder why you have mediocre karaoke. You do not invest in it. You just show up and make an arse out of yourself

frankly I got tired of investing hard earned money every month in cd's to supply your petty needs. I have thousands of dollars invested and all I get is attitudes and arguments about how I should do things. One system for sale and I will never recoup my losses I do hope you had fun....

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Usually when I go to a new venue I will order a drink for myself and spouse then look around to see if there is anybody there that I know, if I find someone I'll go over and say hi and chat for a while if necessary then I usually try to go up and meet the KJ (if their not busy) if he is one that I don't know and introduce myself but don't tell him I'm a KJ as I don't want him to expect to do me any favors nor ask me how things sound etc. Then will grab a table and a book and start looking for what I sing put in a request and sit back and watch.

If the rotations is real slow we might get up and leave but it all depends on other things too, like atmosphere (such as too much smoke or rowdy crowd looking to fight etc.)

I always tell the KJ I'm leaving in case I have more songs in that I haven't sung so they will know to take us out of rotation.

Expectations I don't have any with a new venue, you have to go there once or twice to know what to expect.

I hope this is what you were looking for
Lone Wolf

Ollie,

New venues can be tricky for a new person, and more so in some parts of the planet than others.

Sometimes it's like going into an eating establishment without waitress service and having to "learn the rules": This line to order, that line to pick up. They give you the food right away or you wait until your number is called. They hand you your drinks, they hand you an empty cup. You order you hamburgers and hot dogs here, your fries and onion rings there. You pay the counter person who handed you your food, you pay the cashier at the register for everything on your tray before you get to your table.

For some, being thrust into strange and unknown conditions can be intimidating and cause them to "withdraw" to a corner. Others are more outgoing and will jump right in head first. You can't fault anyone's approach to dealing with a new and "foreign" environment!

That's why, Ollie, it's good that you don't work alone. While someone is hosting you can meet and greet and put newcomers at ease.

Eric I thank you for that observation. It gave me further insights into things I couldnt fully understand. I have never heard it expressed that way.

I agree and thats why it really takes two to run a show. One to host and the other to greet and help with books ETC. Here we go again talking about what the hosts should do!!! When a newbie walks into my show and hears one of my singers they are intimidated and reluctant to to turn in a slip Then they are pleasently surprised when they sing.

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I AGREE Ollie, it takes TWO people to run THE BEST SHOW possible.

I TRY TO DO MY BEST NOW by myself, but trying to be personal, personable, and changing songs and doing introductions every 3 minutes "spreads ya thin" no matter how fast you think you are. Sincerety takes longer than 30 seconds....

A lot of kjs employ, used loosely, their significant others...but sooner or later i've noticed favortism and they start singing too many duets together!

I used to have my ex girlfriend co-host with me for 2 years, but she moved back home to take care of her aging parents. WE RAN A GREAT SUCCESSFUL SHOW.

And thankfully she could work the crowd but couldn't sing a lick!!

Unless you make a lot of $ per gig...it gets too expensive hiring someone else, ALTHOUGH IT'S BETTER, to co-host.

Every now and then I WHORE-OUT a singer and make 'em work the books and do the intros.

Soon I will be interviewing new hosts (notice the plural) to do my shows. I now have a different approach THANK YOU...

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not to get on a tangent, but while two hosts can get a lot done, I've done shows for twelve years, by myself. Sometimes my wife helped out with directing people to me, but that's about it.

There are MANY on this site that run shows by themselves.

I started this thread about singers going to a new show and what their responisiblities are.

Here we go again arguing about how to run shows . I respectvely request that a mod delete this thread.

When a person attends my show they have certain obligatigations. What are they?

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Uh there isn't one Ollie

L.W.

Ollie

Calm down.... I'm sorry I even commented on the benefit of having two people running a show. But there's no reason to close the thread simply because someone posted information that is obvious, any more so than to close it down because of my comment about the benefit of having two people run a show!


Oh... and I am not sure what you're getting at with your question in regard to the word "obligation"? The only (legal) obligation that I know of when I go out is to pay for what I order. Ethically, I feel I am obligated to make purchases to support the show! Personally, I want to have a good time and try my best, though not always successful, to enjoy myself. Nah... I'm not looking for "the song" in order to deliver "the performance". I might be looking for "a song" that I have never sung before that might be both challenging and enjoyable to sing.

A singer has no responsibility when going to a NEW venue. It should be the KJ responsibility to annouce and instruct POTENTIAL singers where the books are and if a slip is required etc etc. THAT BEING said .. outgoing personalities will find there own way to your show and need no coaxing etc.

I run a show by myself and use the time people are singing (4+mins) to wander over introduce and CHAT with new customers. If I need more time I just play FILLER MUSIC .....(((((((DOH!!!!!!)))))))

I'm sure that at least 90% of kjs run their own shows, but having a co-host, if you can afford/bribe one can be more beneficial. you'll have 4 eyes/arms instead of two, and YOU'LL have more face time with your audience if your co-host runs the rig. Plus setup and teardown is easier and you have someone to biatch to when singers drive you nuts..........just stating the obvious.

I've hosting 7 years by myself- 2 with ex. That makes 9.

Sorry Ollie , back to your OP. Being in tourist-ville international here in hawaii, most tourists survey karaoke shows by being calm ,quiet, and watchful. If they come in inebriated, OR are from LA or NY (lol), then the wild social personality is already turned on and they're ready to engage anyone with either humor...or obnoxiousness.

Also here we have so many daggone asians that are so quiet and polite, you wonder if there's an engaging personality at all! Double edged sword when hosting. I DO Love the Japanese people though- very respectful indeed.

Hey, JR

What was the comment about New Yawkers and Los Angelinos?

I've lived both places

Hey moderator..........

Before this thread gets shut down here's me as a singer....
My job has me traveling many of Texas, on the off hours I frequent a venue hopefully some that has food, and I've become a regular to some and others I could check out again if bored.

When I first go to a new venue, It's best to get there pre showtime. Occasionally have a personal cdg on hand but scope out the demographic, listen to the house music, get a book and chat with the KJ when he has free time, or chat with the regulars. Hopefully I can talk to a female singer that could occupy my time, dont always want to be the loner at the side of the bar watching ESPN while life is going on around him. She can give me the best info about this place. I do range among many genres of music, and I have my "I can nail these" songs filled on the request slips. Luckily when the night goes on the crowd varies, so I can switch to a better song. Most places have the rules on their books, if my hotel is nearby I'm drinking or at least going to be leaving sans $20+ from food and tips. I always make sure to thank the KJ for his good job, and bonus if theres some kind of mini contests. I left with some gift cards or cash by being one of the best singers for that night or sung a mystery song. And even more of a bonus if that female singer made me a regular "Duet" partner with her when I'm back in town.

i try to get new singers up next then they are fed into the rotation just like everyone else...sometimes my regs get mad I just remind them that I did it for them when they were new plus the fact they have already sang once or twice..it seems to smooth thing over prettty well plus the new people feel like they want to stick around and look though the book more. The only time I dont allow new singers is 15 min to closing.

Go on, but keep to the point and please don't go off tangent.

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I can neither confirm nor deny ever having or knowing anything about nothing.... mrscott

As a Singer going to a new show (or going to somebody's show where I am not a Regular, but I have been there before), I have no responsibilities or obligations.... What does that question even mean Ollie????? What is this?... 1st grade???... Now class, sit at your desks with your hands clasped and don't say a word until I call on you. Going out to a Karaoke show (whether it be a new place or not) makes no Singer obliged or responsible to anyone (other than to adhere to the normal rules of a Bar/Venue).

As for attitude, I don't walk into a new place with an attitude. I may have certain EXPECTATIONS, but never an attitude. Ollie, do you feel that my expectation that you be able to play my personal CDGs translates into me having an attitude? If so, I think you are the one who has an attitude. Without knowing or meeting us, you can't accuse me/us of having an attitude because we have expressed the fact that we don't like certain shows run in a certain way.

I am able to go out to new shows and have a good time. If certain things don't meet my expectations of how I feel a show should be run, I just won't go out of my way to return. Of course, if I do return (this would be more than likely because my friends wanted to go there), then I might have an attitude towards the KJ, but I won't reflect that. I'll just make the best of the evening.